Spain’s relaxed lifestyle has been drawing waves of American immigrants in recent years. A report by the General Council of Notaries in Spain revealed a 13% rise in Americans relocating between 2019 and 2021, with property purchases by Americans soaring 88% from 2019 to 2022. TikTok is now filled with viral videos of couples and solopreneurs leaving the grind of U.S. life behind in favor of Spain’s laid-back vibe. Two viral videos by TikTokers Elizabeth Lip (@elizabetskaya) and Alina Hicks (@alinahicksxo) compare the cost of living in Los Angeles versus Barcelona, racking up over two million views each.
It’s no secret that living in Spain is generally cheaper than in the U.S. According to the numbers, the cost of living in Spain is 46% to 123% cheaper than in the USA. Elizabeth and Alina broke down this cost of living into smaller fragments including everything from groceries to healthcare and entertainment.
The women couldn’t hide their shock at the price differences between the two countries, especially in healthcare. While they showed that the “health insurance per month” in Los Angeles is too expensive to be said, in Barcelona, the average cost is just 60 euros ($66.33). They noted that the cost of “teeth cleaning” in LA is $1000, whereas surprisingly, in Barcelona, it comes free and included in health insurance. People in the comments disputed the high dental care price in LA, but it seems the women are correct here. According to the reports, the minimum price of teeth cleaning in Spain is just $50, much cheaper than that in America.
Then, according to the breakdown of cost comparison shared by the two women, the cost of a Netflix subscription in the U.S. is $17 whereas the same in Spain is 13 euros or $14.37. A movie ticket in LA costs $21, whereas in Barcelona, it can be bought for 13 euros ($14.37). So, entertainment is $3 to $7 cheaper in Spain than the US.
Next comes food. The TikTokers shared that “dinner including one appetizer, one main, and one wine” costs $60 plus tips in Los Angeles, while in Spain, it is just 25-30 euros ($27.64-$33.16). A massive difference. A cocktail in the US is around $18 plus tips, while in Barcelona, it is 11 euros ($12.16). A cappuccino is also about $6 cheaper in Barcelona than in Los Angeles.
The women also compared beauty and fitness costs. A yoga class, they said, costs $25 in LA, and around 15-20 euros ($16.58-$22.11) in Barcelona. A manicure is $80 plus tips in America, and 40-45 euros ($44.22-$49.75) in Spain. Blond hair coloring treatment shows another drastic cost difference. While it costs a whopping $800 in Los Angeles, Spain offers it just for 200 euros ($221).
They noted that a monthly mobile plan is about $42 cheaper in Spain, and a full gas tank is roughly $34 less. A 10-minute Uber drive is priced at around $25 with tips in LA, but it comes at 12 euros ($13.27) in Spain. One bedroom studio monthly rental is available for 1000 euros (~$1105) in Barcelona, whereas in LA, it doesn’t come cheaper than $2800 with additional bills. So clearly, when it comes to the cost of living, Spain is the winner.
Seeing these videos, some people said they were already thinking about moving to Spain from America. @noveljon from the Mountain West region of the US commented, “We’re seriously considering relocating to Spain.” @skrett_kenzie said, “That’s it. I’m moving to Spain!” However, many people also commented on the other side of the cost comparison. They noted that even though the cost of living in Barcelona is lower than that in Los Angeles, the average household income and average salary in LA is much higher. “You forgot the most important part: income,” said @doctor.cupcake. @heldlaris added, “It must be said that the average salary in Spain is $1800 while in the USA the average salary is $5700.” @pridddle commented, “Average household income in LA: $117,700 vs Barcelona $37,300.”
Despite differences in household income and average salary, many find living in Spain a happier experience, especially for self-employed people, content creators, or digital nomads. According to CNBC, Spain is the top country for digital nomads in 2024. People who do remote work or are self-employed have easy access to remote work visas to live in the country. Spain even announced that it now allows spouses and families to have digital nomad visas. So, all in all, when it comes to people’s choice of living country, Spain gets the trump card.
